Not always Black and White
by Andromeda2903
Summary: Ikkaku love story! When Yumichika leaves the eleventh division, the ranks are re-aranged, and Ikkaku finds himself with a new beauty to contend with. But will this mysterious man accept his advances? Things aren't always as they seem. NOT YAOI!
1. Chapter 1

**Hey Interwebbers! hopefully you all enjoy this story as much as I have. It isn't a Yaoi, though it seems like one... don't worry, it will be explained later. Anything and everything happens in this one. I took some liberties with certain things, and I have completely made up Haruki... Just sayin'. Tell me what you think. **

**Note the Japanese used in the text… It's basic, but I'm not going to assume you know it. I like watching the show in subbed, not dubbed, so I like the occasional Japanese word or two. **

**Hai – Yes**

**Senpai – teacher or master**

**Arigato – Thanks or thank-you**

Chapter 1

"Alright, listen up!" Ikkaku was in front of the members of the eleventh division, addressing them as though he were the captain, as he often did. Zaraki was around somewhere, though where that may have been was currently unknown, and Yachiru was undoubtedly with him. The men had just gotten notice out of the blue to come down to one of the training fields, which normally wouldn't have been strange, except for the fact that it was early in the morning, and the third seat was known to not rise before noon, save for some sort of attack.

It had been a few days since they had all been addressed and there were whispers passing through the crowd as contemplation of what was to be announced circulated through the ranks. The previous announcement had been to let everyone know that they were losing Yumichika. The fifth seat had been promoted, and was going to serve as a lieutenant after the truth of his Zanpakto had come to light.* Now there was speculation of all sorts as to what other news there might be.

"Enough! I said listen up! Anyone who keeps talking is going to get their ass kicked!" Silence flooded the training ground, as the men knew the third seat was not one to lie, and was likely to do a more than adequate job due to a lack of patience at the early hour.

"That's better. Now I know it's early, but we've got a lot ta get done, so we need ta start quick. As ya'll know, we lost Yumi last week, and that leaves us with a couple of gaping holes in our seated officers. Now, I talked ta Captain 'bout it and he said ta put the stronger guys up top. So," He looked around importantly, "Tha' means it's time for a tournament!" He pointed over to the notice board at the edge of the field. "Make sure yer clear on who yer fightin' and when. Matches are going to be initially the lower members. If ya win, ya move up. If ya lose, ya move down. Simple as that. Yer literally fightin' for yer rank, so if ya end up unlisted, ya got no one ta blame but yerself. I've got a couple guys stoppin' by ta judge, so don't blame me if ya lose either. Whoever wins the final round gets ta fight me fer third an' fourth. Good luck to all of ya." With that he waved off the men who immediately hurried over to the battle postings.

Ikkaku looked the crowd over. Fresh faces straight out of the academy and senior fighters alike were warming up, getting ready to take on their peers in mercy-free combat. A familiar rise of red ponytail coming at him through the crown drew his attention, and as it grew closer he grinned.

"Hey Renji! How's it feel ta visit yer old squad, eh?" The man grinned in response, glancing back at the noisy group preparing themselves behind him.

"Not bad, Ikkaku, not bad. Sure takes me back." He rubbed the bald man's scalp to annoy him before patting him on the back with a laugh. "So who else is coming to this thing?"

"Iba said he'd help, and Yumi's supposed to be here already." He replied, shrugging the other's arm from around his shoulders. "Plus Hitsugaya said he'd lend Matsumoto, but I'm thinkin' she might be too much of a distraction to help." Renji nodded. That woman sure liked her some man meat, and they liked her right back.

"I'm surprised you're here so early. That noble son of a bitch has really got ya jumpin' through hoops, eh?" Renji punched the man in the shoulder, a little harder than he intended, frowning, though he knew the other didn't mean any harm.

"Don't call him that, man. You know that I-"

"Ya, ya." The bald man interrupted with a grin. "I know ya kiss his boots." The banter would have continued, but Yumichika showed up then, looking magnificent, as always. He sauntered over to them, calling out to his friends.

"Good Morning!" his sing-song voice would have gotten him punched by the third seat this early on any other day, but having not seen much of the newly appointed lieutenant in the past few days, the hairless fighter simply grinned at his longtime friend.

"Hey Yumi! Ya showed up after all!" The beauty pouted slightly at that.

"Of course I did Ikkaku. I told you I would be here, didn't I? Besides," a smile returned to his shining face, "Why would I give up the chance to stand out next to all these unbeautiful brutes? You know I always looked my best standing next to you." The twinkle in his eye vexed Ikkaku slightly more than he would have liked to admit, but he let it go, happy just to have his friend by his side for the day.

Soon Iba was there with Rangiku not long after, and the tournament began. The fights were short at first; Ikkaku had decided to limit them to five minutes, the winner to be determined by the judges as he kept track of wins and losses, moving his fighters up and down the ranks. By mid day they were starting to come to the lower level seated officers, and patterns were beginning to form. It was becoming clear to Ikkaku that there were several people who had deserved a higher rank for some time – at least that was how it seemed – and though he hated to admit it, as he watched their fights, he was silently cheering them on.

One in particular shone above the rest. A blond, almost white haired, slender man who had been unseated since graduating the academy a few short years ago and moving immediately to the eleventh was tearing apart anyone he fought. He seemed unstoppable, the lower level fighters not even getting a scratch on him as they were cut down in well under the five minute limit. As Ikkaku stood, watching the man defeat another opponent with ease, he felt a hand slide in around his waist and a slim figure lean in to whisper in his ear.

"Looks like someone has a crush." The chime of Yumichika's voice cut into the bald man's thoughts and he blushed slightly beneath his frown. Pulling away from his friend's taunting display of affection, he busied himself with the names on his clip-board once more.

"Piss off, bird-brain." The raven-haired shinigami simply laughed and crossed his arms pensively.

"I can see why. He is quite the cutie. And you always do go for the strong ones, don't you Ikkaku?" He grabbed the man's shoulders from behind, leaning into his ear once more. "The ones who can take a little abuse, and give it right back, eh, you dirty thing?" He giggled, running off to the next match before the bald man could pummel him, leaving Ikkaku to fidget with his papers, watching once more the fight going on before him.

The man's name was Tanaka Haruki, a name that had previously not meant anything to Ikkaku, but which he now realized probably should have. He was not terribly tall, but certainly didn't let that stop him, and made up for it with powerful spiritual pressure. His swordplay was decent and he had a good grasp on the basics, though they were far from perfected. Even so, he seemed to be able to use what he knew to gain the upper hand. He was quick on his feet, had an excellent flash step, and could read his opponents very well. Ikkaku had to admit: the guy was good.

The third seat watched as another unseated officer fell, effectively putting Tanaka in the group to fight for the seated officers' positions, and marked it down. This man had risen from nowhere in a matter of hours, and still seemed to be going strong. He saw the blond head over to a clearing where Hanatarō had set up a rest area and was healing some of the more major injuries, and followed him over. He watched the man wipe his face off on his sleeve and grab a drink from the water that was laid out, noticing the pleasant curve of his backside as he bent down to retrieve the beverage. A heat rose up in Ikkaku and he was struck by the sound of Yumichika's voice ringing 'I told you so' in his head. Damn it, that man knew him too well.

As the man took a seat on the grass, cleaning off his Zanpakto, Ikkaku took a moment to really look him up and down. His hair was long and braided behind his head, pulled straight back without bangs and tied with a black band, though a few wisps of hair had fallen into hhis face during the fights. His form was slender but toned and his uniform, though a bit loose, hung nicely at his shoulders and hips. His face was slim but not thin, and the soft angles of his face were not harsh, but neither were they rounded. He wore his uniform open slightly, but seemed to have some sort of white beater underneath that covered his chest. His arms were covered too, with some sort of leather wrist supports that carried up to his elbows where his sleeves pooled as he rested. The man's face was drawn in an expression of detached concentration, and as Ikkaku approached, his heart skipped more than a few beats in his chest.

From this angle, Ikkaku could see that the man's face was beautiful. It was shining white and smooth, and had the soft tones that came with kisses of sun. The way his high cheekbones framed his face gave the man an elegant and nearly feminine look, and Ikkaku found himself thinking that the man could have rivaled Yumichika in his splendor. All this was nothing, however, to the man's eyes. His eyes were the most gorgeous things Ikkaku had ever seen. They were a pale lilac color, but clear as the sky and shining like diamonds. He swallowed hard, trying to calm the heavy pounding of his pulse in his ears as he drew closer to the man, his feet moving on their own.

"Oi! Tanaka!" The man turned slightly to look at his superior before realizing who it was who had called him and bolting to his feet, eyes wide. Ikkaku saw then the scars on the man's face. They were long and thin, covering the length of his face from his left eyebrow to his chin and though they looked old, he could tell that at one time they had been painful. The blond seemed not to notice the other's examination, though, as he grasped tightly to his Zanpakto nervously.

"Hai! Madarame-san!" he bowed to the bald man who had once again plastered his signature scowl onto his face.

"You did really well in there. Must have been training yer ass off ta get so good straight outa the academy. Who's been training ya?" The younger man shifted slightly on his feet.

"Actually, I've been training alone, but I was hoping that now that I'm at least going to be a seated officer, I would be able to get some one-on-one training with you." Ikkaku lifted one thin eyebrow in curiosity. He had gotten this far on his own? Now that was impressive. Ikkaku felt all the more desire growing in his loins.

"Did ya now? Well I sure don't see a problem with that." _It'll give us more time to get to know each other, _the man thought with an inward smirk. "I suppose after this is over I could give ya some pointers. That is, unless ya end up takin' my seat. The way yer goin' ya might just make it to the top o' this." The blond gave a sideways grin.

"Naw, I'm not that good yet. Besides, Captain scares the shit out of me." He laughed at his own comment, then glanced back down at the weapon clutched tightly in his hands, suddenly remembering it was there.

"Sorry Madarame-san, but I have to go get ready for the next round." His look changed to one of determination, "It's time for the real battles." He bowed again but before he could go, he was interrupted.

"Tanaka!" The third seat called out to him, "Don't use my last name; call me Ikkaku." He hated when people used his last name. The blond man shook his head back.

"I couldn't do that!" the other grinned.

"Well then how about Senpai?" A smile came to the younger man's face as he left.

"Hai… Arigato, Senpai." And with that, off he went, flash stepping away.

OOOOOOOO

***I am placing this sometime between when Aizen was defeated but before the reinstatement of the Visords as captains… I won't get into it too much, though. It isn't all that important to the story line. More to come soon.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Hey Interwebbers! New chapter. It's pretty long, has the fights in it. I don't know if I'm any good at writing the fight scenes, so beware, but hopefully I got across what I wanted to. For any still wondering affter this, hey I thought this _wasn't_ Yaoi! - it's not. Don't worry. All will be explained, be patient. Also if anyone knows the proper pluralization of Zanpakto, please let me know...**

**Note the Japanese used in the chapter:**

**Kage no tōzoku - Shadow thief***

**Genshō suru – Decrease ***

**Arigato – thanks**

**Arigatōgozaimashita – Thank you (formally, many thanks to you, or how you would say it to a superior…)**

**Senpai – teacher or master**

**Baka – Idiot or fool**

**Kama – hand held sickle-styled blades originally used in fields that were used as make-shift weapons. Also refered to as kai, they are Philipino or Japanese in origin.**

**Shihakusho - The black kimono worn by Shinigami.**

***These were taken from a translator, so I am only marginally certain of their accuracy…**

Chapter 2

The first thing that Ikkaku noticed when he saw Haruki again was that he now had two katanas. Where he had fought the entire tournament so far with only one - a thin blade with a black grip and no guard - he now carried another. The second one was quite unique from the first. It had a large, round guard that was very intricate and a white woven grip with a length of material hanging from the end. As Ikkaku watched, the man wound the tail of the sword around his right hand before gripping the handle and using the black Zanpakto in his left. As he readied himself and took a few practice swings at the air, Ikkaku noticed that the effect was downright menacing. He was just as quick with the both weapons, and the way he dodged and parried, it was almost as if he were dancing rather than preparing for battle. It gave the impression that his movements were effortless, making the bald man's temperature rise. It would be a treat to see him in action.

As the matches began with the seated officers fighting those near enough their level, Ikkaku looked around briefly at the other pairs before settling in on Tanaka's fight. He was fighting first the former 8th seat, and though the other had quite a few years and about 100 pounds on him, Haruki was doing quite well. His left struck out as the right swung around, both still unreleased, blocking an attack with a swift motion. Blood flew as contact was made, and though it wasn't enough to make the 8th seat give up, it gave the newcomer an advantage early on. It had been decided that the seated officers' matches would go longer, to 15 minutes, and having an open wound this early on would hinder the big man.

A flash step put the blond in close and he was nearly hit, but as Ikkaku watched, the man retreated and countered the attack with ease and he knew it had to have been a fake. The higher ranked man wasn't taking things seriously enough, Ikkaku thought, because the other had been unseated and fresh faced. A powerful swing of a large sword and the bigger of the two missed again, once more being raked down the side with the other's black Zanpakto. He spiraled back against the hit, taking a breath to steady himself and giving the younger man an opening to call out his shikai.

"Genshō suru, Kage no tōzoku!" The dark sword blackened in the hand of the blond, seeming to melt into shadow and fade into his skin. The shadow steadily crawled up the length of the man's arm until it disappeared beneath his uniform, giving the impression of a haze surrounding the man wherever the power extended. It wrapped around him completely, covering him in this fog until it had even shaded his face, and only the hand that held the white katana remained illuminated in the bright mid-day sun. His eyes pierced through the darkness, bright gems in the midst of the twilight of his shikai, though they seemed to have taken on a deep violet color and appeared menacing and empowered.

Though the 8th seat had recovered, he stood in awe of this new demonic opponent, and failed to so much as move as fear gripped him in the face of such a display. A grin came to the dark face of the smaller man and he struck fast and hard, catching the other off guard and nearly overtaking him in one quick blow. As the fray continued, the young man clearly had the upper hand, and when the other finally managed to land a clear blow, though the hit spilled blood, darkness swept into the other's zanpakto with fervor and the man found it suddenly heavy in his grip.

"What the fuck?" The man gripped his bewitched weapon with two hands, readying for another attack. The darkness that had taken his sword faded then, leaving the weapon its normal weight once more, but as he lashed out with it, a white gripped blade found his side, and when crimson hit the ground below, the panic in his eyes was clear. Haruki struck out again with his blade and once more made purchase. Though the other man tried to block the hits, and did for most, it was as if he had become unsure of his ability and would not strike back. Openings were left untouched and not attempted as it became more and more likely who would win this fight.

Ikkaku stared in disbelief as he watched a once brave man all but cower before the smaller, less experienced fighter. What had the man done to him? What sort of kido was this? He had never been a fan of kido based weaponry – as an unwritten rule of the division they were accepted as cowardly – but he had to admit, this technique was working. Whatever it was that the shadows had done to him had left the man too fearful to fight back and it was costing him the match. He watched as the blond came in for a hit and missed, though just barely, as the other leaned back and toppled head first into the dirt. An instant later the thin white blade was at his throat and it was plain who had won.

Onlookers were unsure of what to make of the match, Ikkaku in particular. Though the young man had fought well, and had bested his opponent, kido-based swords were frowned upon in the eleventh. Even if the man was technically the winner, it was almost as if, in a way, he had cheated, and though Ikkaku was still very impressed by just how one-sided the match had been, he couldn't help but wonder what would come of the result. He marked down the win for Haruki, making a mental note that when the fights were all said and done he would have to decide whether or not he could really pass up on promoting the man. He could always pass him off to another division he supposed, but he was strong – very strong if this was any indication – and he had told the guy he would train him. Either way, there was no point making the decision right away. Might as well wait and see how far he got first.

He went over to the man who was now returned to normal and was panting by the edge of the field. He was cleaning off his white katana while the other one lay before him in the grass, solid and whole once more. As he approached, Ikkaku saw the slight frown and distant look of concentration on the man's face. It seemed that this was the norm for the younger man, his air of superiority subtle but persistent. Even resting on the grass, he sat straight and held his head high, and as the third seat looked on, he was reminded for an instant of a certain dark haired captain whose red haired lieutenant was judging the tournament… He shook his head, clearing it of ridiculous thoughts.

"Haruki!" He yelled over to the man who recognized the voice and once again sprang to his feet.

"Hai Senpai." Ikkaku couldn't help but grin. He had had other students and had been called senpai many times in his life, but when this man said it the hairless fighter grew week in the knees. Still he played it off.

"What was that? Ya kicked ass out there!" The man sheathed the white Zanpakto still held in his hands and grimaced.

"I guess, but I know what our guys think of kido. No one was all that happy I won." Ikkaku couldn't disagree with that. The look on the faces of the crowd was one of confused discontent. He frowned, clasping a hand on the man's shoulder.

"Well don't you worry 'bout them. Ain't up ta them who gets what seat. And anyone who wants ta tell me what ta do can get their ass kicked personally by yours truly." The younger man looked him in the eyes and Ikkaku felt his heart in his ears. _Those eyes…_

"You mean that Senpai? You don't mind my release?" His expression was one of wary optimism, and when Ikkaku grinned in response he looked relieved.

"Heck, Haruki, my best friend has a kido based Zanpakto. Far as I'm concerned he still deserved ta be here. He's a hell of a fighter without it, an' that proved it. So far as I've seen, ya were good enough ta get to the seated position without yer release and that's impressive. Every one of these guys is goin' all out to get as high a rank as they can, and you beat 'em as if it was nothin'. That's worth somethin' in my book." There was a slight turn of the young man's lips that wasn't quite a smile and Ikkaku found himself thinking that if the man ever did smile, it would be heaven.

"Arigato Senpai. I really appreciate you saying so." He bent down to pick up the black-gripped weapon at his feet and sheathed it as well. "I had better get ready for the next fight. Any pointers for me?"

"You're doin' good." Ikkaku thought back to the match he had just seen. "Be careful with the fakes. I doubt the seventh will be takin' ya so lightly now. And watch yer right. Ya left it open more than I'd have liked." He paused a moment to think. "Make sure ya win this Haruki. I want ta fight ya myself." The other balked a bit.

"I'm not _that_ good!" The third seat grinned amusedly at that.

"Haruki, who do ya think yer fightin' next? Sixth seat's been empty since Renji left, Fifth was Yumi and Fourth hasn't had no one since Iba! 'S'only me left if ya win this next one!" The man's eyes grew wide.

"I – I never thought about it like that!" he shook his head. "I'll lose to you for sure senpai."

"HEY!" Ikkaku's scowl was back on his face. "Don't you go sayin' things like that! If I didn't think ya were worthy, I wouldn't want ta fight ya in the first place! Ya always got a chance, Haruki, and from what I seen, ya got a better one than most!" The man softened a bit then. "Ya never want ta let yer opponent know yer doubts. Don't matter if yer fightin' the lowest level hollow, or fuckin' Zaraki himself. Ya always want ta show confidence. It could just get ya the upper hand ya need." The younger man nodded at that.

"Don't I know it." He had mumbled it to himself and then looked up at the other fighter, determined. "Alright Senpai. I'll win this one and take you on. And I won't let up on you, either. You had better be ready for me." With that he walked away to his next match, leaving Ikkaku with an excited twitch. The tightness he felt in his groin was growing. He could hardly wait.

Ooo

The match against the seventh seat went fairly quickly. Haruki's opponent was once again larger than him, though that wasn't surprising as most of the men in the division were bigger than average. The 5'10'' blond didn't let the man feel much bigger, though, as he was sliced and diced with ease. Every eye was on the two as the fight wore on, and though the newcomer had the upper hand most definitely, the other had not given him a chance to use his shikai, and was certainly still in it.

Haruki launched in at the seventh and was thrown back as the man swung a heavy arm out to meet him, landing a blow to the chest with a crack that was heard throughout the crowd. As the younger man recovered, the wind knocked from his lungs, the other released his shikai, transforming his katana into dual Kama. The large man swung a menacing blade at the other's head, nicking the man's cheek and drawing a thin line of red down to his chin. Recovered from the powerful blow, Haruki launched himself at the man with a yell. Both Zanpakto were a blur in the man's hands as he pushed back against the seventh seat, cries of power echoing across the plain. Blow after solid blow were blocked or deflected as the bigger man's kama matched the katanas one for one.

Just when it looked like the two were equal in both strength and speed, Haruki let out a roar and his spiritual pressure pushed out, knocking the other man back long enough for the tables to turn. As the man's release sounded and darkness began to swim across his features, he looked out at his foe, staring into the man's very soul. The bigger man hesitated. He had seen what had happened in the previous match and was not eager to cross this demon. An instant later, though, he had no choice as he raised both kama to block the now doubly forceful white katana that flew up to finish him.

His face dripped with sweat as the dark shinigami threw himself into the fray and within minutes, the fight was over, the seventh seat collapsed on the grass. It had taken only 9 minutes in total.

Ikkaku grinned his insanely delighted smirk. This power was certainly something he wanted to taste for himself.

As he walked up to the blond now fully in light once more, though, he heard the seventh seat cry out.

"He cheated!" The man got painfully to his feet, wincing as he did. "There's no kido weapons in this division! What kind of bullshit is this? How am I supposed to compete with that!" He was red in the face, partly from yelling, partly from the embarrassment of losing to the smaller man, Ikkaku thought.

"Look," the third seat interjected, "We may not use kido, but we also expect ya to be strong enough ta beat a kido weapon without havin' one yerself! He was matchin' ya move fer move when you were usin' yer shikai and he was still just usin' his normal Zanpacto. I would say that counts in his favor."

"In his favor? Ikkaku, do you hear yourself?"

"Ya, I do! I didn't see ya complaining before the match! So long as ya thought you could beat him it was fine, but the minute yer not good enough he's cheating? Is that it? What kind of attitude is that for someone in the eleventh ta have? Ya think we're gonna be fightin' hollows and someone's gonna get killed and we're gonna say _Ya, but the hollow was usin' kido, so it don't count_? Baka! We gotta be ready fer anything, and I fer one would rather have him on our side!" The seventh seat fumed silently as the rest of the onlookers considered what had been said. Once they may have argued against the third seat, but with the recent realization that Yumichika - someone who had been feared and respected in his position despite his feminine ways - had a kido based Zanpakto, things had shifted slightly in the division, and more of the men were inclined to agree with their interim leader.

"We'll see how you feel after _you_ fight him, Madarame!" the seventh seat stormed off, leaving the others waiting expectantly for the exact same thing.

Ooo

While Hanataro healed some of the minor injuries the blond man had sustained in the previous fight, Ikkaku sat beside him, watching him with curiosity. The other seemed disturbed by this, fidgeting a bit when he noticed his superior staring.

"What is it, Senpai?" Ikkaku had his usual frown plastered to his face as he sat, immersed in contemplation. He was wondering about the shikai of the man before him and whether he had done the right thing, deciding to defend him. In the end it had simply been his mouth moving on its own, something that happened often, and he assumed that it had been how he truly felt. He did want to fight the man, that he was sure of, and thought it would be a challenge, but one he was up for, none the less. Still… the man's release seemed to be able to turn challengers into mush, and that was definitely something to watch out for.

"It's nothin' Haruki. How ya feelin'?" He motioned toward the man's bandaged arm where a kama of the seventh seat had sliced him open. "I want ya to be in top shape fer this." Haruki looked down at the arm and felt the bandage gingerly, testing it.

"It's not too bad. I should be alright." He looked back up at his new mentor. "Don't think you have to go easy on me because of it." There was no smile on the man's lips, but the light that danced playfully in his eyes told an entirely different story, and Ikkaku's breath was lost at the sight.

"I never would. Do ya know who yer talkin' to? Don't think fer a minute that this'll be easy for ya!" The younger man nodded.

"Same to you. We should get started then, before you change your mind." With that the blond stood up and headed off to the battle ground, leaving a floored Ikkaku behind. The twerp sure had taken his advice to heart. He stood and went after him, eager to begin.

Ooo

The first hit of the match was landed by Ikkaku. Blood flowed from Haruki's shoulder as he rebounded and lashed out, not fazed in the least by the hit. The two went toe to toe, move to move, as the crowd around them kept their distance, the spiritual pressure coming off the two men strong enough to make the weaker men dizzy. As a cry was unleashed from both student and master, they collided in the center of the clearing, white light crashing into red, the resulting explosion of reiatsu enough to throw more than a few off their feet. Ikkaku laughed as the younger man dodged another attempt and doubled back for an attack of his own.

"You're better than you let on, Haruki!" Another strike and block and the two locked weapons and came face to face, close enough for Ikkaku to smell the sweat on his opponent's brow.

"Arigato, Senpai." The breathy response sent shivers down the man's spine, and it was all Ikkaku could do to refrain from capturing the man's lips with his right then and there between their locked Zanpaktos. Instead he gave an extra push, and swung out against the other as he was knocked back. Another hit landed, and though once more blood poured from the blond, he didn't as much as flinch. Doubling back, two hits landed in quick succession as Haruki cut his Senpai across the side, finding purchase with skin for the first time. Though the blows were shallow, Ikkaku was impressed, and his grin grew wider still as he came back in at the other man.

Dodges and blocks from both sides were used with practiced skill and though Ikkaku was landing blows, they were few and far between. He refused to release his shikai before the other, though, knowing it might cost him, but not caring either way. He was not only fighting for his rank. Ikkaku was at captain level, though he had chosen to stay as third seat beneath Zaraki, and he knew it was important for him not only to win, but to do so while showing his subordinates the skill that was expected from each and every one of them.

One final shove from Haruki, and Ikkaku heard the words he had been waiting for.

"Genshō suru, Kage no tōzoku!" Not waiting for the shadows to encompass his opponent, Ikkaku swung out and landed a blow to the man's upper arm, darkness flowing evenly into his weapon as he hit. The grip in his hand seemed to quiver for an instant, then returned to normal as the third seat lashed out again. He blocked an incoming attack with the scabbard in his right hand while countering with the katana in his left. He sliced into the dark mist, his sword not making contact, and a feeling of dread washing over him. What was this? He had been sure he would land a solid blow, but had missed as the other suddenly appeared to his right, cutting him across the chest in a fury of light and dark. Deep red flew from Ikkaku, both blood and reiatsu, and with a twist of his body he found the younger man once more, cutting out with all his might.

Shaddow grew and swallowed the two men and as the crowd watched, there was suddenly nothing to see. Emptiness had encompassed the match and a chill wafted over the onlookers as they began to fear for their third seat's life. This was supposed to be a tournament, not a death match, but every last one of them knew that Madarame Ikkaku was not one to give up until the last breath had left his body. An ear-splitting cry rang lose from the fray, and an instant later the darkness was receding. The group held their breath, not knowing what to expect, but fearing the worst.

As light shone once more on the pair, Haruki looked through the blood in his eyes to his Senpai, standing triumphantly above him. To say there had been no doubt in the third seat's mind that the win would be his would have been a lie; there had been quite a bit of doubt by the end. Still, he had never been one to give up, even when the odds were piled against him, and this time had been no different. He wondered, though, as he helped the other to his feet, why he had began to fear the man as much as he had during the battle.

"Nice job, Haruki." He watched the gratitude in the man's bloodstained eyes as he shook his hand. "I knew you'd make it an interestin' fight." The younger lifted one corner of his mouth in a half grin, the closest thing Ikkaku had yet seen to a smile on the man's face.

"Arigatōgozaimashita." At that point the man sheathed his weapons, one on his hip, one behind his back, and promptly fell over. Ikkaku caught him on the way down, holding the bleeding man in his arms as Hanataro rushed over to tend to his wounds. The third seat leaned in closely, the feel of this man so close to him making his heart flutter restlessly in his chest. The smell of sweat and blood mixed with the sweet aroma of this man's natural scent was driving Ikkaku wild. The way the man's hair was coming loose of its braid and hanging to gently frame his face coupled with the tears in his uniform where it had been shredded by the fights were subtly erotic and the bald shinigami could feel his temperature rising as the adrenaline that had not yet faded from his system urged him to act; to reach down and kiss this beautiful man, to hold him and caress him while he lay snugly in his arms.

The thoughts played out for an instant before the blond turned to meet the gaze of the man holding him. As if he could see the lust in the bald man's eyes, Haruki pulled loose of the other, keeping his eyes locked on target, as if to say _I know what you want._He pulled his Shihakusho closer to himself as if to discourage the sinful thoughts of his superior, and went off in the direction from which Hanataro was headed. Ikkaku watched the man go, not in the least deterred. It was too late – he was smitten. There would be no use trying to stop him now. The new fourth seat would have to learn that the hard way.

**Let me know what you think! I have a few more chapters already partially written, so it shouldn't be long for an update. Arigato!**

**~Andromeda**


	3. Chapter 3

**Ok, so I wasn't going to update this anymore, because I had lost interest, however, there was a comment that someone really liked it, and I know how annoying it is when you love a story and then it doesn't get fi****nished, so I have continued it and have the story all planned out, so it's just a matter of getting it written. Hope you all enjoy.. **

The third seat quietly watched the new fourth sitting quietly at the lieutenant's desk tending to his new duties. From this angle, he could see the man's left side, and was lost in the sight of his soft elegance balanced pleasantly with his harsh battle scars. Those pale violet eyes danced as he read forms and filled out paperwork, and Ikkaku was lost, simply staring without restraint at the beautiful man before him.

It was slightly ironic that his new counterpart should be one so stunning, a small but deadly fighter with a kido weapon that mirrored the former fifth seat in so many ways. It was strange, also, how different a reaction the two could summon from him. Ikkaku had never been interested in Yumichika. The two of them had been friends since before the man had discovered his attractions to the male persuasion, and though many had gotten the idea that the two had been a couple, it had never been so. Yumichika played it up, telling stories and embellishing details to get a rise out of people, but none of it was true, and neither of them would have it any different. Haruki on the other hand…

There was no doubt in Ikkaku's mind that this man was perfection. He was becoming like an addiction to him and though it meant the fighter would get less work done in the office, he didn't mind one bit. The other had thus far refused his advances, shying away from the bigger man when he got too close or said the wrong thing. It wasn't about to stop the third seat, though; this wouldn't be the first time he would have had to wait, but in the end, he would get what he wanted.

The platinum blond closed his eyes and sighed, turning slightly to face his superior with a frown.

"Senpai, kindly keep your eyes in your head." When he met the other's gaze, violet eyes had turned dark, menacing like they had been when the man had released his zanpakto, and the hairless shinigami felt his heart flutter with attraction and fear. Turning back to his work, Ikkaku couldn't help but wonder. He'd never been stared down before. How was this man able to elicit such a response? He turned back to the man sitting across the room. He was the superior; he gave the orders! But when he opened his mouth to speak, nothing happened, and he simply sat there, tracing once more the outline of the man's lips and wondering what they tasted like.

"Really, Senpai!" The man stood, looking frustrated and making Ikkaku wonder why he was reacting so strongly. "Could you tell me why it's so important that you watch me do my work? Am I that much of a freak that even menial tasks are fascinating when I perform them? Is that it? You just can't pull your eyes away from my hideous face?" He was angry and yelling, and Ikkaku could only stare back, surprised at how far from the truth the man was.

"Haruki, no! I… I was, I just…" He stammered, despite himself, unsure what to say.

"For the past three days I have been at this post you have not let me be. I know they are horrendous and I hate them, but they're there, so just take a good look and then leave me alone!"

Ikkaku blinked after the man as he stormed out of the room and off across the eleventh squad barracks. He had never expected such a reaction. Haruki really thought his scars were so terrible? He decided to follow the man. It wouldn't do to have him so upset, and he should set him straight. On the way out the door, though, Ikkaku was suddenly hit hard in the stomach by a flying ball of pink.

"Pachinco-chan!" Yachiru squealed delightedly as she climbed up to his head. "Play with me! Play with me!" Ikkaku turned red, annoyed with his hyper lieutenant and looking wantonly in the direction the blond had disappeared. It would be another half-hour before he would manage to distract the girl and get away.

Ooo

Yumichika Ayasegawa strolled lazily over to the eleventh division. It had been a few days since he had really had time to talk to his longtime friend and the distance was beginning to wear on him a bit. He liked his new post, but missed the carefree hours of spare time he had enjoyed with the fighting squad. Now, with an hour or so free, he would get away and spend some time back at his roots.

The sound of sparing was nothing new to the grounds where the eleventh division lived, and as Yumichika rounded a corner to the field he expected to see his bald friend practicing as he did with every moment of spare time. Surprisingly enough, though, it wasn't Ikkaku who was pounding away with sword and fist, but the new fourth, Haruki. The blond was fighting tooth and nail but not against another shinigami. Instead, it seemed that some sort of demon had sprung up and was engaged in harsh battle against the slender man. Dark skin and shining, deep violet eyes raged as a black blade crashed down on the fourth seat. As Yumichika watched, he decided perhaps he should take in the match before continuing on to find his good friend.

The two combatants danced, blades swift and sure, slicing each other and the air around them as if like butter, and Yumichika couldn't decide which one looked like the deadlier challenge. They were matching each other's movements, blade for blade, step for step, and though both seemed to be getting good hits, neither one was backing down. The determination was absolute. The raven haired beauty watched calmly but with great interest as the demon struck out hard, hitting Haruki on his shoulder, and without a moment's pause the blond struck back, finding purchase this time right through the monster's chest and driving his white sword deep down with both hands. Darkness poured forth, and the creature took a step back, grasping its chest in an effort to stem the flow. As he did, Haruki charged again, slashing at the demon's throat and with a yell and this time slicing its head clear off. As the creature's head fell from its shoulders, slowly it slumped down to the ground, a pool of black spreading around its fallen body.

Yumichika watched from the sidelines as Haruki sheathed his sword, then kneeled in the grass before what was left of the shadow-demon. The thing was slowly turning to mist and after a moment, the mist concentrated into a long black-hilted blade. Haruki wiped the sweat off his face with his sleeve, and as the feathered man watched, he noticed something not quite right.

"Haruki-chan!" His sing-song voice rang out as he approached the spent form on the field. "That was quite the exhibition." He offered the blond a hand and helped him to his feet. "Am I right to assume that was your zanpacto?" Haruki nodded.

"One of them. He's quite the fighter. Actually, I don't normally win." Shaking his head, he looked himself over. "I almost didn't again." The man looked up then at the beauty before him who said nothing, but had an odd look in his eyes. As Haruki was about to tell him off, the man brushed him off with a wave of his hand.

"Well I definitely can tell what Ikkaku sees in you. He's always gone after the strong ones, and you certainly are." The beauty gave him a sideways glance, a sly grin on his spotless face. "Though, I must say that normally he has liked his men to be men and his women to be women, so I'm not sure how well you fit into that scene." The blond blinked, confused.

"What?" Haruki wasn't entirely sure he'd understood. "Did you just say that Senpai… _likes_ me? I mean…" Yumichika laughed; a curt, harsh sound that conveyed his amusement.

"I'm not saying he likes you, Haru-chan, I'm saying he's infatuated with you. He's absolutely head over heels, if you pardon the expression. But Haruki…" He stared the other dead in the eyes "There's still the little problem that he thinks you're a man."

**Haha, so what now, eh? Mwahaha! ok, will update when I have the next part. It's already started. **

**~Andromeda**


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